It's The Little Details That Make Hollow Knight: Silksong…

A sequel seven years in the making, it's only natural that fans expected Hollow Knight: Silksong to be a big step up from its 2017 predecessor. Of course, the original Hollow Knight is still considered to be one of the best Metroidvanias of all time, so it was always going to be hard for Silksong to surpass it. But in many ways, it's done just that.

With new and improved mobility mechanics, a plethora of quality-of-life upgrades, and an even more vibrant and hand-crafted art design, Hollow Knight: Silksong has been lifted at least a few bars above its predecessor. But while these major new additions and tweaks might be the sequel's most obvious upgrades, there's a more subtle way in which Silksong feels like a step up from the original Hollow Knight.

Hollow Knight: Silksong's Animations Cement Hornet's Character

A Spoiler-Free Refresher on Hollow Knight: Silksong's Kingdom of Pharloom

The Subtle Differences Between Hornet and The Knight

One of the biggest differences between Hollow Knight: Silksong and the 2017 original entry is its choice of protagonist. While Hollow Knight puts players in the little shoes of The Knight, Silksong has them taking on the role of Hornet. From a visual standpoint, The Knight and Hornet immediately look quite different from one another, with Hornet appearing a tad slimmer and taller than The Knight, and sporting quite a different head shape.

Hornet and The Knight also have very distinct fighting styles. While The Knight uses a wide nail to slash at foes, Hornet uses a thin needle to quickly stab at opponents from range. Fans first got a glimpse of Hornet's fighting style long before Hollow Knight: Silksong was even announced, with Hornet appearing several times in the first Hollow Knight as a boss fight.

Hollow Knight: Silksong Reinforces Hornet's Differences Through Her Animations

The core differences between the two Hollow Knight protagonists become abundantly clear when fans finally get their hands on Silksong for the first time. Hornet immediately feels lighter on her feet than The Knight, and her high level of agility is made instantly apparent during Hollow Knight: Silksong's first few platforming challenges.

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But while Hollow Knight: Silksong's gameplay mechanics and control scheme go a long way in making Hornet feel like a truly distinct character, it's the game's animations that really seal the deal. Right out of the gate, Silksong allows players to grab onto platform ledges and quickly leap off them to gain height. Performing a ledge jump will see Hornet perform a series of somersaults in the air.

Hornet's acrobatic skill is only reinforced more the further players progress in Hollow Knight: Silksong. Bouncing on the red flowers in Hunter's March sees Hornet twirl gracefully in the air, and unlocking the Swift Step ability allows her to dash across environments with ease, head and body held low to streamline her movements. Transitioning from full sprint to a jump is just as elegant, with Hornet leaping effortlessly in a diagonal arc, performing a few stylish spins along the way.

Hornet's inherent agility is baked into all of the protagonist's movement animations, even the ones players will likely never think twice about. Even something as simple as tapping the back button, for instance, will see Hornet performing a Castlevania: Symphony of the Night-like backstep before swapping directions. With every minute input, Hollow Knight: Silksong continuously cements Hornet's distinct character design, and further separates her from the series' prior protagonist. And that sense of identity is a clear strength of the sequel.

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